Machine for molding concrete building-blocks.



0. NOLAN. MACHINE F0R M0LDJNG CONCRETE BUILDING BLOCKS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 27. l9l3.

Patented Aug. 24, 1915.

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MACHINE FOR MOLDING CONCRETE BUILDING BLOCKS.

APPLICATION FILED IUNE27, I9I3.

l 1 5 1,53 1 Patented Aug. 24, 1915.

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OLIVER NOLAN, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

MACHINE FOR MOLDING CONCRETE BUILDING-BLOCKS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 24, 1915.

Application filed June 27, 1913. Serial No. 776,026.

My invention relates to improvements in) machines for molding concrete blocks of the class described in my application for patent filed in the Patent Ofiice on July 1st,

7 1912, hearing Serial No. 706,917.

The object of my present invention is to provide an improved machine of that kind capable of rapid, easy and continuously efficient operation.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my complete machine; Fig. 2 is a vertical central section in detail of the same; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the assembled machine partlybroken away to show certa1n parts thereof, and Figs. 4 and 5 are detail perspective views illustrating the mold sections. 7

Referring to the drawings, 1 have used the reference numeral 10 to indicate the frame. This frame consists of angular uprights or guides 11, braces 12 for said uprights and a pair of parallel sills 13 adapted to support a pallet 14- on which aconcrete block may be formed. a

The mold 15 consists of mold sections 16 and 17 and is adapted to telescope upon the frame 10. The mold sec'tion16, which for convenience will be called the primary mold section, is formed of plates 18 and 19, base bars 20 and21 and angular bearingsupports 22 extending downward from the lower corners of said section, all of said parts being integral, as shown, inFig. The bearing supports 22 are each suppl ed wlth a plu rality of set bolts 23 adapted to serve as adjustable bearings and move upon the guides 11, thus directing the vertical movement of the mold section 16 onthe frame 10. The

mold section 17, whichmay, be termed the secondary mold section, consists of plates 2 1 and 25, each being formed with an'ir tion of the base bars 20 and 21, is supplied with horizontal pins .30 slidable in the secondary mold section 17. These pins form guides for said mold section 17 and together with the lugs 27 in the slideways 28 provide a horizontal mounting on which said section 17 moves. A plurality of cores 31 are each ad ustably secured by a clamp 32 to the core beam 33 on the primary mold section 16.

To reciprocate the mold and cores 'upon the frame 10 and to hold the same in their elevated and lowered positions, I have pror vided the following mechanism: Two horizontal shafts 34, revoluble in the frame 10, are arranged in parallel relation to each other at equal distances from the vertical central plane of the mold 15. Similarly arranged arms 35 are attached and extend at right angles to each shaft. Upwardly eX- tending hangers 36, secured to the ends of the primary mold section 16, are pivotally connected by'links 37 with the adjacent arms 35 on the shafts 34:, all the points of connection between 'saidlinks and hangers. be-

ing arranged in a horizontal plane and equi distant from the vertical central plane of the Two gear sectors 38, one on each mold 15. shaft 34, mesh to transmitpower from one shaft and turn the other shaft in the reverse.

direction. A hand lever 39, applied to one of the arms 35, is provided for turning the links 37 upon each hanger 36, equally andin.

opposite directions, thus resulting in a vertical lift at each end of the mold. It will be noted that the points of connection between the links 37 and hangers 36 are a sub-' stantial distance above the bearings 23 in the mold section 16and that for this reason slightly inaccurate movements of the links 37 due to lack of exact uniformity in the parts of the lifting mechanism, are unimportant because they do not result in binding between the bearings 23 and the guides 11 of the frame. I Attention is also directed to the fact that the bearings 23 in the mold section16 space the bearing supports 22 a suflicient distance from the frame 10 to prevent the clogging of concrete between the mold and frame. The mold 15 is held at the end of its upper stroke by moving the hand lever 39 to a position locating the links 37 against the stops .40 on the mold section 16,

wherein the centers of each arm 35 and its,

[3 a ing s. The linings 26-are attached to'the Stopbars 12 on theframe am; placed in the pathsof the bearing supports 22fto limit 15 in elevated position.

1ink37v are substantially in alinement. The springcatch ll on one of said stops, engages one of the links 37 and serves to lock the lifting mechanism, thus securing themold is moved to lower themold and cores'and permit the removal of a molded block and its supporting pallet from the. frame 10.

the downward movement of the mold 15. It is evident .that if no counterpoise were em.- ployedconsiderable power would'have to be I applied to the hand lever 39 to raise the mold'15 andcores, 31 upon the frame and that care would be necessary in lowering the k mo'ld. to prevent, jarring of the machine and consequent injury to a molded block as the mold strikesjits stop bars.

operation easy andmore efficient, :1 have provided apair of coiled springs 13, each spring being attachedat one end to the framezwith its free endin sliding engagement with the core bar 33 ofthemold. Thesespringsare of 'suflicient strength to practically counterbalance the mold 15, with the result that only a slightamount of power is requiredto move themo1d' and close attention in lowering the same is unnecessary.

machine is-adaptedto [form ordinary smooth concrete blocks or blocks having one or more ornamental or'imitationcutstone faces. In formingasmooth block, the'palletfl'lt is placed'on thesills 13 ,and'themold.v

elevated as illustrated in ,Fig. 1 of'the drawplates 24 andr25-of the mold section 17 and concrete is supplied to thelmold 15 and tampedin the usual manner. The handleverz39' is then manipulated to lowerthe mold. and cores and thus permit access to the newly formed block. which may be removed upon, its pallet; Downward vertical movement of the mold causes the plates 18,19, 24

and 251120 trowel and thereby finishzthe surface of the block.

a j -.In constructing blocks with irregular faces, the linings 2.6 are removed from the plates 24' and 25 and the mold is filled as above described. I Itis evident, however,that immediate downward. movement. of said mold-would cause the irregular projections toibe sheared from the face of the block. I .avoidsuch damage by moyingfthesecond- 'ary mold section 17 horizontally fromthe: sides of the blockb'efore themold is lowered;

. This horizontal movement of said secondary Y mold sectionl7 is accomplished-by the fol lowing described. mechanism which also locks the mold sections 16 and'17 together:

Alatch 4C4, having'fa catch 45 and a projection,,46,*is pr'ovidedlfor each lug 27 of the mold section' l7,said latchesbeing pivotally' mounted on the mold section 16 inposition adjacent to their respectivelugs. A lever The hand lever 39 7 To render this ters Patent, is:

47, provided with a handle 48 at one end, is pivotally supported on the mold section 16 and is slidably and pivotally connected I at. its other endwith one of saidlatches. An arm 49, slidably and pivotally connected at one end with the other latch, is pivoted on angles toeach other, results in the free movement of the secondary mold section uponthe guides BO'and' the slideways-28'of the primarymold section away tronrthe sides 18 and 19 of said section. Downward move-' direction to cause the catches 45 to strike the lugs 27. The engagement of" the catches with said beveled lugs brings about the return of thesecondary section '17." Continued downward movement of said lever 47 registers the latches 45 with the. notches 5 2 in the lugs'27 as illustrated in Fig. 1, therebyfirmlv securingv the secondary mold section'17 {against horizontal movement on the primarv mold section. The separating. andjoining of' the mold sections 16' and 17 is readily" accomplishedby manually operating the lever47. It is. desirable, however, "toautomatically join and lock the sections 16 and17 whenthe mold'islowered on the frame To'acc'omplishthis end, I suspend'from, eachioii. the

' latches-44' a bar :53 adapted tomimpinge against a stop 54c'on theframe: During the completion of the downward stroke j of the mold, these barsstrike saidistops'and turn said latches to engage the lugs 27, thus joining, and locking I the. mold sections 16 [and 17 together. a Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect; by Het- 'ment of the lever 17 'turnsthe' latches ll ina 1.1111 a device ofthe class described,.the

combination of a 'frame,a pallet removably supported on said 'frame, amold'slidab1e vertically'on the frame andhaving' sepa rable sides, means. for manually separating and sides, means for raising and lowering: v 1

the. mold on the frame, -yielding means in operative connection with said" mold for sides of 'jsaidfmold as it approaches the'end of its downward'stroke.

combination of'a frame,a pallet removably supported on said, frame, a mold slidable I I verticallyon saidframe and having sepa rable sides,emeans for manually separating Y counterbalancingthe same andmechan'ism'f" 'for automaticallyjoining and locking. the

. 135" 2.!In a device of the class described, the,

the sides and moving the same in paths diverging from the remaining sides of the mold, means for raising and lowering the mold on the frame and mechanism for automatically joining and locking the sides of said mold as it approaches the end of its downward stroke.

3. In a machine for molding concrete blocks, a frame, a mold on said frame having fixed and separable sides, means for moving said separable sides to open the mold, mechanism for raising and lowering all of said sides, and means for automatically joining and locking said sides to se curely close the mold as the same is lowered.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a frame having vertical slides thereon, a pallet removably supported on said frame, a mold adapted to telescope over said frame, bearing supports extending downward from said mold, bearings on said supports adapted to move upon said slides and space said mold from said frame, upwardly extending hangers on the mold, and means attached to said hangers for raising and lowering the mold with respect to the frame.

5. In a device of the class described the combination of a frame, a mold having a slidable bearing on said frame and adapted to move vertically thereon and means for open the mold and means for elevating and depressing said mold.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination of a frame, having bearing slides thereon, a mold adapted to move vertically with respect to said frame, a plurality of bearings on the mold, beneath the body thereof, adapted to bear upon said bearing slides and, actuating devices attached to the mold at points above said mold bearings.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing WItIIGSSBS.

OLIVER NOLAN.

Witnesses:

F. M. HARDY, F. C. CASWELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for fivecents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G." 

